Credit:
USA

Are you ready to get Litt Up during tonight’s all-new episode of Suits?

It’s finally time for Louis Litt to shine on Season 3, Episode 9 (“Bad Faith”), but will he screw it up? Pearson Darby Specter’s divorce isn’t going to plan, so Jessica takes Louis up on his offer to run the dissolution talks, much to Harvey’s annoyance. Will Louis pull it off, or will he once again find a way to sabotage his success?

Wetpaint Entertainment chatted with Rick Hoffman about Louis’s big break at the firm, his character’s penchant for self-sabotage, and what’s ahead for Louis and Harvey.

Wetpaint Entertainment: So this episode is a big one for Louis. Were you happy in the direction Louis’s arc is headed?

Rick Hoffman: Whenever these brilliant writers that we have write these great character arcs, it always makes me nervous for Louis when I first do the read-through because I’m like, “How am I going to accomplish having this come through?” In an episode like this, I have to go with a little bit of instinct and a lot of trust in the director, who did a fantastic job with his patience and his candor. Aaron [Korsh] had texted me a while back and told me how pleased he was, and that’s the best kind of feedback you can get, when your boss is happy with the episode. Now, I just need to see it! Half the time I’m watching with one eye because I’m heavily critical of my stuff, and I’m always looking at what most people don’t look at.

Essentially, he scores a win at Pearson Darby Specter, which is huge for Louis because he’s so fond of self-sabotage!

The fact that Louis wins for a change is kind of cool. There’s a great moment between him and Harvey that was a lot of fun to do.

So is Louis kind of like the new Mike?

Yeah, as scary as that sounds. [laughs] All these characters that are involved in the show, there’s something redeeming about all of them, and it makes you root for them at one time or another. I think that’s what makes the show so cool.

Will this change the dynamic between Louis and Harvey?

I think it can do one of two things. I think it can change the dynamic in terms of respect, which is what Louis has always strived for from Harvey. But then it’s a matter of Louis not getting in his own way, as he usually does because this type of situation has happened before in the first season, and Louis got in his own way and ruined any future friendship with Harvey. So he’s presented with this opportunity again, and we’ll have to see if Louis has really grown as a human being. We’ll see if he can manage to not screw it up because Louis, you know, doesn’t have very many friends. So we’ll see if he can make one and keep one.

Well, the friendship between Louis and Rachel was really great to see this season.

Right, of course. It’s funny because his respect for all the women on the show is very different than what he does with the guys. He needs a buddy. He admires Rachel, and she admires him, but he needs a guy’s guy friend. Louis doesn’t have any of those.

So he wants a bro?

He wants a bro! Exactly. He wants Harvey to be his bro.

Credit:
USA

Looking back over the past few seasons, for a supporting character, Louis has really seen tremendous growth. He could have been a one-dimensional character used for comic-relief, and instead, he’s evolved into so much more.

That’s a testament to the real, detailed work of the writers. There is a great relationship between the actors and the writers, as far as the writers having a real feel for these six people. There’s a lot of trust between the writers’ room and the actors. It’s one of those lightning in a bottle situations. The fact that they can use Louis at time for just some levity, like when there’s a heavy case going on and Louis has got this ridiculous cat situation happening, but yet, even though it’s something that can be so farcical, the writers can put in some real heart. We share a very similar vision of who Louis is. It’s the best possible role for a character actor to really have in my opinion because you get to do all these shades of a human, and as long as he’s appreciated by the viewers, it’s a great thing. He was very one-dimensional in Season 1 based on the fact that most of the attention was focused on Harvey and Mike, and rightfully so because the audience needed to get to know those two guys. Louis was a very serpentine character in the first season, but then, slowly but surely, they peppered in his insecurities and some more light-hearted stuff, which was very smart. Now he’s turned into this really evolved character that I’m just blessed to be able to play.

That cat comes back to haunt him in a big way in this episode.

It’s his weakness, which is funny because it’s so not mine. I’m deathly allergic to cats, and that’s what’s so hilarious about the whole thing. When I read these scripts where he’s fawning over these cats, I have to think about my dogs. I’m a dog lover. I have two hypoallergenic dogs, who are the most adorable creatures on the face of the planet, so that’s what I focus on. It’s just funny that Louis loves cats because if I’m in a room with one for more than 15 or 20 minutes, get the inhaler, get the shots because I’m going to the hospital. It’s just unbelievably ironic.

Will Louis and Mike ever reconcile? Will he forgive Mike for going back to Harvey?

All I can tell you, is that for now, their dynamic does not change. The reason why it doesn’t change is because Louis just wants to be acknowledged and he wants to be appreciated, so what happened with Mike… I’m sure there will be something that will come up where he’ll try to make Mike pay for rejecting him and going with Harvey. As an actor, I’ll be heartbroken if Louis ruins this potential friendship with Harvey.

But he’s so good at self-sabotage!

Yeah, I know. As I’m sure you know, it’s hard to watch people, in my life and in your life, who do it. It’s just so hard to watch. But that’s what makes it so cool. I think a lot of viewers have a hard time really accepting him because they know this guy. He’s just one of those people who gets in his own way. He just kills himself from having any sort of social satisfaction in his life. He just has a hard time making real guy friends, having bros, as we talked about.

Are you excited to see Louis (finally) win in Tuesday night’s episode, Suitors? Sound off in the comments!

Catch the episode on Tuesday, September 10 at 10 p.m. ET on USA.

Crystal Bell is an editor at Wetpaint Entertainment and our resident fan-girl for all things Pretty Little Liars, The Vampire Diaries, Game of Thrones and Once Upon a Time. She speaks fluent geek. Follow her on Twitter and Google+!